Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Vacation, Destination, Inspiration...

There's something very strange about living in a tourist destination. Rather like being an actor in the same production of "A Christmas Carol" year after year...you realize that you have become a fixture in someone else's holiday. Like a wreath. Or, in this case, a lobster trap. Then there are the people who ask in hushed tones, "How do you manage to survive the winters?" And, just what exactly, is the answer to this question? Heavy drinking? Dark corner athletics? Friends in the Carribean? I am always at a loss. Nonetheless, even I have a favorite Maine summer destination: WASPy old Blue Hill in general, and the treasure trove that is Blue Hill Antiquesin particular. Marjorie Kernan and Andre Strong create, summer after summer, the Elle Decor photo shoot of your dreams, with the amazing antiques they source during the winter in France. (That's it! The perfect answer to the previous question!) And while antique shops can often be musty and staid, theirs is anything but. It's the sort of place that, if someone offered you a gin and tonic and then launched into a tale about their dissolute love life, you wouldn't be at all surprised. Oh, yes, and it's where I found my pink settee.